Place of delivery in The Netherlands: maternal motives and background variables related to preferences for home or hospital confinement

The choice of obstetric care by low-risk pregnant women in the Netherlands: Implications for policy and management

“…As in previous research [5,18,24], we also found out that lowrisk pregnant women in the Netherlands (in our study, nulliparae) are in favour of a medical pain-relieve treatment during birth, and that their preferences are divided between giving birth at home and in a hospital maternity unit. We observed this division in preferences based on the provisional choice of place of birth made by respondents prior to our study, and based on the results of the discrete-choice experiment.…”

“…There is also ample empirical evidence on this topic (e.g. [1,3,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]). The research hitherto predominantly uses data on attitudes, experiences, satisfaction, and past utilisation of obstetric care by low-risk pregnant women.…”

“…Determinants related to attitudes frequently emerge as highly important compared to the other two categories. The overall conclusion is that women's attitudes towards childbirth are socially and culturally determined, and are reinforced by own believes and experience, the perceptions and experience of the significant others (partners, family, friends and obstetric care providers), and the organisation of obstetric care in the Netherlands [1,3,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24].…”

Calls to a home birth helpline: Empowerment in childbirth

“…In contrast with previous research on women's experience of home birth (e.g. Davis-Floyd, 1992Fordham, 1997;Hodnett, 1989;Klassen, 2001;Klieverda et al, 1990;Morrison et al, 1998Morrison et al, , 1999Ng & Sinclair, 2002;Viisainen, 2001), we do not, therefore, have much by way of information about why these women wanted to give birth to their babies at home-nor is this the focus of our research. There is not one instance in which the call-taker asks the caller why she wants to have a home birth-although callers do sometimes volunteer this information, and give accounts for wanting home births that clearly map on to the reasons that have been collected in interviews and questionnaires in other studies.…”

“…Researchers have explored women's reasons for wanting a home birth (Davis-Floyd, 1992Fordham, 1997;Hodnett, 1989;Klassen, 2001;Klieverda, Steen, Anderson, Treffers, & Everaerd, 1990;Morrison, Hauck, Percival, & McMurray, 1998;Morison, Percival, Hauck, & McMurray, 1999;Ng & Sinclair, 2002;Viisainen, 2001)-and find that these include desire for autonomy and control over decisionmaking (Davis-Floyd, 1994;Hodnett, 1989;Viisainen, 2001), desire to avoid medical technology and interference (Chamberlain et al, 1997;Viisainen, 2001), being in a peaceful, relaxed and familiar environment (Klieverda et al, 1990;Morrison et al, 1998;Viisainen, 2001), privacy (Klieverda et al, 1990;Viisainen, 2001), a 'natural' birth (Davis-Floyd, 1994;Klassen, 2001;Ng & Sinclair, 2002;Viisainen, 2001), enjoying a relationship of equality with healthcare providers (Hodnett, 1989;Morrison et al, 1998), the ability to choose birth companions (Fordham, 1997;Klieverda et al, 1990;Morrison et al, 1998) and because a previous hospital birth was traumatic (Chamberlain et al, 1997;Viisainen, 2001). Researchers also highlight the effects that previous sexual abuse may have on women during pregnancy and childbirth (Kitzinger, 1997).…”